Western Railroad Discussion > More from the ex-WP Shafter Sub

Two weeks ago, I was hoping to go out to Lakeside and get some pictures look back at the snow covered Wasatch Range. However, I had promised my wife that I would go skiing in the morning so by the time I sot back from skiing it was to late to drive 2 hours out to Lakeside so I ended up taking a few pictures at Lakepoint (near the Kennecott smelter where the LA&SL and the ex-WP split) instead. I had packed up for the day and started back when I spotted a train headed west on the ex-WP. I decided to give chase although the sun was headed down. Anyway, I caught up with the train at Burmester (near Grantsville, UT) as he slowed for a meet with an eastbound train at Burmester so I managed to catch 2 trains. The sun had already set but I managed to get what I thought were reasonable results after processing the pictures some. The eastbound had on UP and one BNSF locomotive but I would guess that the train is a UP train. The traffic was probably up because of the ongoing work on the ex-SP Lakeside Sub so going to Lakeside may have been a bust anyway.

I was hoping to have more pictures from the ex-WP to post from today. I spent several hours out near Low (about 10 or 15 miles west of Delle, UT). The trains came but I did not get any pictures as I not so cleverly forgot to put the flash card back in the camera after transferring some pictures to the computer. Saw 4 trains plus a light engine move and the day was pleasant but no pictures. I need to be more organized and I also need to get some additional memory cards so that this does not happen again.

Also met one of UP's finest this morning right after I set up to take picture. I was sort of surprised to find anyone else out there. Anyway, he said that they were having problems with people stealing copper wire. He was a little surprised when I showed him that I had UP emergency number in my cell phone memory and told him that I saw anyone vandalizing any of their property, I would call. Anyway, he shook my hand, told me to be safe (I was well away from the tracks) and to have a good day.

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Neat stuff!!! Thank you for posting them.

Being questioned by a UP Special Agent at on Low Hill, Utah--amazing. It sounds like your meeting was friendly, though.

Dick ( Reading trainorders from the North Slope of Alaska)

2ebright Wrote:
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> Being questioned by a UP Special Agent at on Low
> Hill, Utah--amazing. It sounds like your meeting
> was friendly, though.
>
> Dick ( Reading trainorders from the North
> Slope of Alaska)

I can not really say that I got questioned. He never even asked my name and I think that it was clear what I was doing. I simply walked over to see who had stopped next to my truck. His explorer was unmarked so until he came around my vehicle, I did not even know that he was a police officer and until I was close enough to see read the labels on his uniform, I did not know that he was a UP agent. We just talked for a few minutes and then shook hands and he wished me a good day. I think that the dirt road is a county road but I am not sure and the surrounding land is probably BLM land but I may have been close enough to the tracks to be on UP's right of way. However, I was obviously in a safe enough spot -- probably 60 or 70 feet from the tracks and at least 25 or 30 feet higher than the tracks.

Not much rail traffic on the North Slope -- at least not yet.